


Into The Labyrinth Once More

by Auriala



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 09:56:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8200861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auriala/pseuds/Auriala
Summary: Five years of neglect leaves the labyrinth in dire straights. Five years of heartache allows a darkness to take over. Five years of loneliness makes a particular book re-emerge. J/S, Moderately Dark (nothing too severe), some fluff and love among it all.
Some actions will be OC. Fair warning. Rated M. Brought over from FF.net. Work in progress.
I do not own The Labyrinth or it's characters. I just like to muck around in their sandbox.





	1. Prelude

He would have given her everything. Everything! If only she would have stayed, he would have returned the babe back to his home. He would have bent to her will; listened to her every whim. Treated her like the Queen he wished her to be. She hadn't stayed though. She had said those cursed words and thrown everything he had done for her back in his face. He had been fuming at first. How dare she?! How dare she defy him? How dare she act as if what he had done for her was for nothing?!

As time went by he started to realize, slowly, that perhaps she hadn't truly understood his offer to her. Perhaps he had not said _his_ right words. She had been young and naive. Being immortal, he had a tendency to forget that mortals required more of a blunt approach. Oh sure, it had started out innocently enough. Just another silly girl wishing for things she couldn't comprehend. Taking for granted the words she had spoken but somewhere along the line it had become much more than that.

He had watched her then, just as he did now. He had watched her fight her way through his beloved labyrinth. He watched as she began to realize that life wasn't always fair. He watched her stand up to his challenge with the courage that a young woman such as her couldn't possibly possess. And yet, she persisted. She never gave up. Even when he had thrown so many obstacles in her way, she kept going.

He had intended for the peach to make her forget her goal; a simple distraction and nothing more. He had not planned for it to backfire in such a gut wrenching way. She was stunning in her white ball gown. Her hair was curled, with strings of crystals and pearls intricately placed throughout. Her bright green eyes, usually so sharp, were softer; gentler. She had sought him out that night in the crystal ball room and that was when he felt it; the pulling in his chest. He was compelled to touch her, to go to her, his eyes never once breaking contact with her. It had seemed like an eternity before he was able to take her in his arms and dance with her. He had been so close he could smell her delicate perfume, lilacs and peaches; a slight touch of irony.

A few more seconds and he was sure he would have kissed her, then and there, but she had spotted that damn clock! He hadn't expected to feel hurt when she pushed away from him. He definitely hadn't expected to feel his eyes mist over as she shattered the bubble that had kept them both captivated. He had practically begged for her to love him, to stay with him. With six little words he had felt his heart crumble. It had taken him months to even step foot out of his chambers again. He was angry; angry at her for leaving and angry at himself for the ache in his chest and the wetness in his eyes.

It was a completely different feeling than what he was used to. He had felt lust multiple times, having a pick from some of the most beautiful women in the Underground. But this, this was something different. He would sleep and dream of her only to wake up feeling miserable. He would find tears running down his face every time he remembered the way she had bested him, as if he were absolutely nothing to her. The ache only increased over time as he watched her grow from a naive, ignorant child to a wiser, more intelligent young woman.

He had tried to drown out the thoughts of her within the first year of her absence and quickly realized that there weren't enough women or alcohol to cover up his pain. After the thirteenth tryst with an Elven beauty he found himself wishing that it were Sarah he was with. He wanted it to be her he was lying next to; touching her, holding her, worshiping her body. The alcohol only made him dream of her to the point of insanity.

After two years he had taken to watching her through his crystals, sometimes forgoing sustenance for weeks to simply watch her doing the most mundane things. He loved watching her sleep. Her face was so serene and beautiful while she slept. Not that her fiery passion in her eyes while awake wasn't beautiful, but when she slept he saw a sweetness to her that she didn't often show. How he hoped that she was dreaming of him while she slept. The thought of her dreaming of another left him feeling slightly distraught. He wanted to be the reason she slept so peacefully at night.

He longed for her to say his name; to make a simple wish for him. She never did. After four and a half years he had given up hope. His precious Sarah never once uttered his name out loud. In fact, after her return to the Aboveground she avoided the words 'I wish' all together. She called on her friends less and less over those four years as well. It was as if she were trying to forget the Labyrinth even existed.

Over those four and a half long years the Goblin King's hold on his kingdom began to wane. He had let his labyrinth change at will. Communications with the other kingdoms of the Underground had all but stopped. He had not grown weaker by any means; he had simply lost interest in controlling his world. The thrill of ruling had lost its spark. He still dealt out punishment when needed and made sure to keep trade routes open for his subjects, but beyond the most important details for his kingdom's survival, he stopped bothering.

The change in his demeanor had become most worrisome for his subjects. The king had lost his liveliness, his arrogance, his need for playing tricks and games. He had nearly lost his social standing. Some even questioned if he had not lost his mind as well! Darker forces began seeping into his kingdom little by little and he didn't even seem to notice, what with spending almost all of his time locked away in his palace!

His subjects did not realize that the situation was much worse than it seemed. Jareth, the Goblin King, had felt the darkness creeping in on his kingdom and had wondered, for the first time in his immortal life, if the darkness could kill the pain.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah's point of view on the last four and a half years. Italics represent a past event or a dream sequence.
> 
> Chapters will be one off. Slightly annoying, but meh.

At first she wasn't sure if it had all been a dream. She woke up the next morning with no evidence to prove she hadn't just imagined it all. It wasn't until she had caught sight of Ludo in her vanity mirror that she knew it had been real. For two years she had faithfully met with her friends every Friday night. They would reenact plays from her books, have small picnics in her room, and generally have a good time. They never made mention of the Goblin King. In fact, Sarah had tried her hardest to forget his part her little adventure.

Over time, Sarah began to see less and less of her friends. She had started to get more involved in Aboveground activities and had less time to spend on fun and games. In short, she began to grow up. She realized that acting wasn't something she really wanted to do after all. She began to put away her books of fantasy and enchantment and started focusing on her studies. She hoped to become a teacher one day, for she had grown to love little children. Not so much that she wanted her own, but enough to want to help them get a good start in life.

Three years after the "incident" as she called it, she stopped seeing her friends all together. Not for lack of trying though. She had called and had received no response, not once but twice! For a long time she couldn't understand what had gone wrong. She had tried a few more times but eventually decided it was best to move on. It stung a little but she knew she couldn't live in her fantasies if she wanted to move forward with her life. Some things needed sacrificing in order to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.

Four and a half years after the "incident" she started college, and slowly but surely all hell was about to break loose. It stated out simple enough. She began to have strange feelings in her gut when she would wake up from a particularly interesting night's sleep. She couldn't remember exactly what the mysterious dream was about but she knew it had been something grand; something a tiny bit erotic. She was, of course, nineteen years old and well aware of young men so it didn't come as a shock to her, just more of a light surprise.

She started having these dreams more frequently but she would only remember bits and pieces of the dreams. She was in a beautiful ball gown. She was biting into a peach. She smelled a delicious scent of cinnamon and cherries, and something very much male. She saw flashes of mismatched blue eyes; a wonderful mismatch if ever there was one. She heard soft chuckles and her name being whispered so sweetly in a particularly sexy tenor voice.

Some nights she would wake up startled, her body seemingly on fire. She didn't know why she was having these dreams and she wished she could at least remember all of them. She knew some of the dreams were about her trip through the labyrinth. Its long corridors, dark and dank Oubliettes, its crazy creatures and her friends Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus with his faithful companion Ambrosias. But there was another person in her dreams; a more sensuous person who's eyes sent her stomach into somersaults and her heart into frenzy. His voice made her skin tingle and despite her desperate attempts, she couldn't remember who he was when she woke.

One particular night a few months before her twentieth birthday, when she was at home, alone, again for the hundredth time, she had woken from her slumber with a slight shiver and her eyes went wide. It was him. The Goblin King. He was the one in her dreams! She remembered now! He was the one she had danced with so eloquently at the ball. He was the one who had directed Hoggle to give her that blasted peach! He was the one she was dreaming of night after night.

She slumped back in her bed and groaned. Why now? Why did it have to be now that she remembered him? She was so close to completely forgetting him and moving on with her life and he went a ruined it! Actually, her mind went and ruined it, but she wasn't about to make a mountain out of a mole hill. That part didn't matter. What mattered was now that she remembered she began to wish she hadn't even tried to in the first place.

That…man had caused her so much grief and trouble! Why was she suddenly feeling so, well, attracted to him? Yes, attracted was the right word. She didn't want to get to ahead of herself and start tossing around the 'L' word. She did want love one day, but she wanted to wait until after she had finished her degree and had soundly settled into a teaching career. She wanted to wait until she could fully support herself before taking on an endeavor like that. Plus, she couldn't really see herself associating that word with the Goblin King. In fact, she didn't even think he were truly capable of love. Not real love anyway. Possession and lust yes, but not love.

Still, as time went by she couldn't shake her dreams. She couldn't forget him. He would appear to her while she slept and left a delicious feeling in the pit of her stomach when she woke. Two weeks before her birthday she began to have more vivid dreams of him. These dreams were darker, more sinister in nature. She woke one night sweating and panting, not from arousal like some nights, but from absolute terror. Something was different. Something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

* * *

_The Labyrinth looked as it always had. The walls were made of stone bricks, covered in moss that had eyeballs attached to it, and they went on for what seemed like miles. She smiled softly and began walking, taking the left path as she had when she first entered the labyrinth. Then it shifted. Black clouds gathered over head casting the path into almost complete darkness. She stopped walking then. She heard feral growls and snarls coming from behind her, back down the way she had come. Terrified, she began to run, sprinting as fast as she could, trying her best to see where she was going._

_The growls and snarls came closer and she looked back to see if she could spot what was chasing her. A large mass of gnashing teeth and sharp claws came swiftly up behind her. The thing had no distinct_ _form_ _. It seemed to ooze a black, viscous liquid from its shapeless body. She screamed and in her hurry to spin around she tripped and fell through the wall nearest her, descending into a pit. There was no light in the pit, and she surmised it must be an oubliette. Hoggle had said they were all over the place._

_Suddenly her nostrils filled with a stench_ _unfamiliar to her_ _. It was putrid and stale. Not like the bog of eternal stench, which was quite possibly the worst thing she had ever smelled in her life, but it made her stomach churn none the less. Suddenly a candle flared to life and she gasped in shock. The pit was filled with dead and rotting corpses of all kinds of Fae folk. Goblins,_ _D_ _warves, and even_ _E_ _lves lay strewn about the floor; some freshly dead, others half rotte_ _n_ _and bloated._

_She stepped back towards the wall and heard a loud crunch beneath her feet. She looked down and saw that she was standing on a rather large pile of new and old bones. Skulls from countless Fae littered the area and she closed her eyes, viciously shaking her head. This couldn't be, it wasn't anything like the labyrinth she remembered. It was so vile and horrifying._

" _Jareth!" she screamed, hoping to all the powers that be that he would here her cry and save her._

_Nothing; not a sound was made and she started to visibly shake. She tried again, taking a deep breath and shouting as loud as she could._

" _JARETH!"_

_She felt a strong breeze and the candle flickered out. A white flash of light nearly blinded her a minute later and in front of her stood a rather smug looking Goblin King. His_ _mismatched blue_ _eyes glinted dangerously in the bright illumination._

" _Jareth, please, get me out of here." She begged, her voice trembling._

" _Oh but Sarah, don't you like my new labyrinth?" He asked, his voice dripping with malcontent._

" _You…. Your new… labyrinth?" she asked, still shivering. She couldn't tell if it was because of shock or her sudden fear of the man in front of her._

" _Yes. Isn't it wonderful? You should love it my dear. You helped shape it after all." Jareth crooned, his sweet tenor seeming more deadly and sickening than she remembered._

" _No… I don't understand. I didn't… I didn't do this!" she cried, her voice hitching, a last ditch effort to hold back the tears that threatened to fall._

_Jareth laughed, a cruel and cold sound, "Of course you did, you silly girl! Why, after you bested me I found a new way to ensure my power was taken seriously. It took me a few years, but I finally found a way to erase the pain."_

_He took a quick step toward her, his boots crushing the brittle bones beneath them, and grabbed the front of her shirt, pulling her to him._

" _I will not allow myself to be bested again, Sarah." He growled; a very feral and dangerous sound indeed._

* * *

She had started awake at that, her body shaking and sweating. Her eyes began to mist over and for the rest of the night she couldn't do anything except stare up at her ceiling, wondering why she had such a terrible dream.

~~~

The Goblin King scowled, a deep frown seemingly engraved upon his sharp features. His eyes narrowed in disgust. Kicking aside the newly dead body of a Goblin who had thrice ignored his warnings, he walked away from his dais towards the balcony that looked out over the Goblin City below his palace. He shook his head in disbelief. The majority of his subjects had learned straight off that he was not to be trifled with any longer. Mercy was not something he granted anymore.

 

Some of his subjects, though, were either very stupid or very brave. This one had obviously been on the less intelligent side to have disobeyed him three times. He had to search for two days to find him but once he did he had him tortured and then brought to his throne room for disposal. Jareth watched as black clouds rolled across the sky, streaks of deadly lightning shooting down into the Goblin City below.

It had been six months since he had first felt the darkness creep into his kingdom. In that time he had welcomed it with open arms and began to manipulate it to suit his whims. He had fully exploited the power and used it to transform his kingdom in to a dark and desolate place. He had been wary at first, not usually one to believe in being so evil. However, after he had tasted the darkness and felt how it soothed his aching soul, turning the pain into a much more manageable emotion, anger, he had fully accepted the darkness into his heart. He no longer felt the pangs of regret and sadness on a regular basis.

His labyrinth was now a dangerous and deadly place to be. The creatures had turned from mischievous to monstrous. The tricks and traps that lay within its walls were now far more sinister in appearance; more deadly than before. Any who wandered in, whether by mistake or on purpose, found themselves dead or trapped within hours. The lucky ones usually lasted a bit longer, a few days at most.

Deciding it was time to turn in, he teleported himself to his chambers. With the snap of his fingers the hearth lit up and began to warm the space, removing the damp chill from the stone walls. He watched the fire flicker, casting long, dark shadows across the room. For a moment, the flames held him in a trance like state. For a moment, he started to let his guard down and for a moment he swore he heard her say his name.

* * *

Sarah sighed and flopped down on her bed, letting herself stare up at her ceiling. It had been a long and tiring week. She had three papers she had to write for her classes on top of the labs she had to attend. It had meant quite a few late nights to complete all of her work. Yawning, she reached up and rubbed her eyes. She was exhausted. She contemplated just laying there and falling asleep in her day clothes. It was a Friday after all and she didn't have anything important to do. It being her birthday was of no relevance to this fact. She never had anything to do on her birthday.

She didn't have many friends outside of those she spoke with in her classes and she never was one for noisy parties. As it was, she spent her 20th birthday catching up on her class work and did some minor re-arranging and cleaning around her bedroom. She smiled a bit, remembering when she had found the box of forgotten fairy tales that had been stashed at the very back of her closet. It had been so long since she had seen them. Their presence created a whimsical feeling in her and she had left the box in the center of the room for later inspection.

Yawning again, she sat up on the edge of her bed and cocked her head slightly to the right, inspecting the outside of the brown shipping box that still sat in the middle of her floor. Shrugging her shoulders she moved to sit next to the dusty brown box and popped open the top. Dust gently lifted into the air and began to settle back down on top of the books. Reaching in, she pulled out the first book on top. It was Sleeping Beauty. The cover was a simple black cover with silver lettering. She smiled and set it aside. She continued to look through all of her old fairy tales, smiling and laughing at certain titles that brought back fond memories of her childhood.

Finally, the box was empty save for one book. It was small; smaller than the rest anyway. The cover was a deep red leather and the gold embossed lettering read Labyrinth. Sarah started and almost dropped the little book back into the box. Tentatively, she brought the book to her lap and ran her fingers over the gold letters. Every since that fateful night she had avoided this book. She had stashed it away and tried her damnedest to forget about it. Truthfully, she had. She didn't remember putting this book in with the others. In fact, she knew very well that she hadn't stored this book in that particular box at all.

Her hand started to shake slightly as she opened the cover. So much trouble this little piece of literature had caused her. She couldn't remember exactly how she had obtained the book, only that she used to be able to recite the words directly from memory. She would go the park a few blocks away from her home and act out the story as if it was a play and she was the heroine. Flipping to the first page, she read over the words and felt a small tugging in her gut. She remembered wishing for an adventure just like this in her naive youth, which in turn caused her to wish away her little brother, Toby.

Sarah hadn't really expected the Goblins to come and take him away, but they had. She definitely hadn't expected the Goblin King himself to show up in her room in a flurry of feathers, wind and oddly enough, glitter, but he had. He stood in front of her dressed in all black, his cape draped delicately around his shoulders, his blond hair drifting around his sharp features gently. His eyes; oh his eyes! They held such a staggering presence on their own. What was it he had said?

" _You cowered before me. I was frightening."_

Shaking her head harshly she withdrew from her thoughts and stared back down at the little book in her lap. The tugging feeling in her gut had changed to something else. Something much more akin to that feeling one gets when falling too quickly or going over the first drop of a roller coaster.

Suddenly, his name came unbidden, a breathy whisper from her lips.

"Jareth…"


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah finds herself back in the labyrinth. I suck as summaries so this is what you get. XD

Jareth grinned. She had definitely said his name. He heard her whisper. After five long years she had finally said his name. He felt a moment of jubilation before it quickly turned to anger. He was frustrated! Why now? Why after five years had she said his name? Just when he had finally squelched the pain he felt for her, she decided to remember him. Well, if she wanted to remember him, now after all this time, he would simply have to make sure she never forgot him again. His grin slowly turned into a malicious sneer. A small push of power alerted him to her presence within his labyrinth.

"Oh, precious…" he growled.

* * *

Sarah looked up from the book that was in her lap and nearly jumped out of her skin. She was no longer sitting comfortably in her bedroom. Instead, she was sitting on cold, hard stone. A wall made of gray stone bricks was in front of her; the moss with it’s many, creepy eyes watching her intently. What the hell had just happened? She remembered feeling a falling sensation in the pit of her stomach, but she had thought it was because of the sudden memories that had come to light.

She took her time to survey her surroundings. The sky was dark, filled with the threat of rain and lightning. The atmosphere seemed tinged with something unfriendly. The walls were almost in shambles. Pieces of stone were missing in large chunks, and in some parts the wall had completely collapsed. The ground was rutted and jagged. There were roots of some unknown plant jutting up through the holes and cracks. This was most certainly not the labyrinth that she remembered.

The dream she had a couple of weeks prior came flooding back to the forefront of her mind. A sense of panic started to settle into the pit of her stomach. What if her dream had been some sort of warning? What if there really was something terribly wrong with the labyrinth? A shrill shriek broke her from her thoughts and she immediately stood, the book no longer in sight, looking for whatever could have made that horrible noise. The shriek penetrated the air once again and it sent chills down to her very bones.

* * *

Jareth made his way to the balcony outside of his throne room that looked over his labyrinth. He heard a shriek from deep within its walls and knew immediately what type of beast had been alerted to her presence. "The Darkness", as his subjects labeled the creature, was a ferocious, shapeless, beast that had vicious claws and gnashing teeth. It destroyed anyone its path, ripping the hapless creatures to shreds and then devouring their very essence. Because of this, it dripped a very thick, black ooze almost the consistency of coagulated blood. Its strangled, high pitched screech could bring a grown rock caller to its knees in fright.

He knew that if this beast found Sarah that it would only be moments before it would tear the flesh right from her bones. He definitely didn't want her to die… at least not until he had the chance to make her pay for what she had done to him. Grinning, he thought that it wouldn't hurt to let her at least think she was going to die. He decided to have a little fun and let the beast get a bit closer. It wasn't as if he was going to allow the beast to kill her; just…chase and scare her for a few moments. It certainly wasn't because he couldn't stand the thought of it ripping her to pieces. Certainly not! At least… that was what he was trying so desperately to convince himself of as the monster drew closer ever to her.

* * *

Sarah began to tremble as the vile creature from her dreams came into view, moving closer with every second. She tried to move but her feet weren't listening.

"M..MOVE FEET!" She screamed, trying to get her feet to function properly.

The creature screamed; a gurgling, high pitched, bone chilling noise and suddenly her body seemed to respond to her urges. She darted off in the opposite direction, running as fast as her shaky legs would carry her. She kept running, never once looking back, truly afraid that if she did she would freeze from fright.

Gradually, she felt the burn in her legs and lungs growing more and more persistent. She began to gasp for air as her body slowly gave out on her. She wasn't used to running in a full sprint for any length of time. Daring a look back, she noticed the sickly being gaining ground, quickly catching up with her. Suddenly, she felt something catch her right foot and she tripped, falling sideways towards the rugged wall. Before she could register what was happening, she felt herself falling, then coming to a very abrupt stop when she landed harshly on top of something very hard. Her eyes grew large and her mind only had time to register one thing.

"It's just like my dream…." She whispered halfheartedly, knowing that a candle was sitting nearby waiting to be lit.

* * *

Jareth materialized next to the wall that Sarah had fallen through. With a simple flick of his wrist he banished "The Darkness" to another area of his labyrinth. That thing had come much closer than he had wanted it to. He had not expected her to grow so tired so quickly. If he hadn't made a group of roots spring up in her path he was sure that the beast would have been on top of her in mere seconds. He narrowed his eyes and he felt the oubliette emit a small surge of power, just faint enough to tickle his senses.

She had reached the bottom and he knew exactly what she would find in that depressing hole. He almost regretted that she had fallen into this particular one; almost. He was sure that the smell would disgust her, let alone the site that awaited her when the candle sprang to life. It was something that was customary in all of his oubliettes. A tiny candle was placed on a stand, automatically lighting when a prisoner or an unlucky runner entered the hole. One small token of mercy, if you could consider it that, which the Goblin King had not done away with over the last six months, were those candles.

He frowned a little, suddenly wondering if he had been a bit too harsh with his subjects over the last six months. His frown deepened to an outright scowl. Where had that come from? That was twice now he had some strange thought enter his mind. Shaking his head to clear away the unease he began to feel, he smirked. He could very clearly hear his name being screamed from deep in the oubliette.

* * *

A flash of brilliant white light made Sarah cover her eyes with her hands, peeking out between her fingers. Within the light stood a very lithe looking silhouette; a strikingly dark figure against the pureness of the white light. She knew that figure. The Goblin King took a step forward and the light dimmed slightly to a bearable level. His feathery blond hair was streaked with dark purple and his eyes glinted dangerously. A feral smile was plain to see on his sharp visage. He looked positively predatory.

Sarah gulped, trying to muster what little bravery she had left along with the small shreds of her dignity. She was afraid to speak, knowing how this conversation was going to go and hoping beyond all odds that she could change the outcome.

"Jareth… please…" she choked, stopping herself from outright sobbing.

No more words could pass her lips. She was trembling something fierce and couldn't find the stamina to finish that sentence.

"What's the matter Sarah? Don't you like my new labyrinth?" he asked; his face now held a sense of arrogance and mirth, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sarah shook her head with fervor. She refused to say anything lest she unintentionally anger him.

Jareth took another step forward and nearly purred in delight when she took a step back towards the wall. He could hear the old and dried bones cracking underneath his feet. He could smell the distinct scent of death and the delicious scent of fear. Taking another swift step, he closed the distance between the two of them and placed his hands against the wall, pinning her between his arms.

Sarah closed her eyes tight and held her breath waiting for him to grab hold of her. She almost cried out in shock when she felt him press against her gently and whisper in her ear.

"Precious Sarah… I will not allow myself to be bested again."

His breath was hot against her neck and she let out a very shaky breath, a strange feeling overcoming her. She began to feel tired and tried to shake that feeling away. Just before she blacked out she felt his soft lips press gently against hers, a delicate gesture that made her stomach do flip flops. Then her world went black.

* * *

 

Jareth held her in his arms, staring at her peaceful face that had only minutes before been contorted with a deep fear of him. Her breathing was shallow and he knew his magic had taken affect and wouldn't lift for a few hours. He had contemplated all sorts of terrifying and horrible things he could have said or done to her when he materialized in the oubliette but once he was inches away from her all he could think of was how absolutely stunning her eyes were and how delectable her lips looked. Simply put, he had lost control and granted her mercy while stealing a much wanted, and if he were being honest with himself, needed, kiss.

* * *

 

Still holding her, he ported back to his castle, directly to his chambers. Gently, he laid her down on the king sized canopy bed in the middle of his room and sat down next to her. There were many thoughts running through is mind. Why had he allowed himself to lose control so easily? Why had he been so worried when The Darkness had come entirely too close to catching her? Why did he feel the intense need to reach out and stroke the tendrils of chestnut hair from her face?

* * *

 

He thought that he had left such longings behind when he allowed the darker forces to enter his kingdom. He had not felt this confused and distraught in a long time. This suddenly brought on a surge of anger. She was doing it again, and she wasn't even trying this time! This little slip of a girl had managed to worm her way through his barriers just enough to make him second guess himself and she had only said his name and pleaded with him.

He waged a war within himself before finally giving in and brushing away the hair from her face, letting his gloved fingers linger longer than he originally planned. She had certainly grown up since he last saw her. She had lost her childish features and had gained a slender shape. Her hair was shorter now, but not by much. Her face was more angular and stunning and her lips… oh her lips. They were much fuller now; and so, so soft. Before he realized what was happening he was inches away from her face, his lips hovering dangerously over hers.

Her breathing was still steady, her mind still in the induced sleep his magic had put her in. Had she been awake he was not so sure he would be so bold but since she wasn't he took it as an advantage and slowly he leaned in, brushing her lips softly. He let out a shuddering breath and grasped the duvet in his hands, which were slightly shaking. The things this girl... no, woman, was doing to him made him feel so conflicted. He knew he should be angry, he was angry, but he was also giddy that she had returned; that she had remembered him and come back to his kingdom, albeit unwillingly.

"Sarah…." He whispered his breathing uneven, "If you only knew what you do to me."

After a few minutes of regaining his composure he said in a much more controlled fashion, "You infuriate me, intrigue me, and make me feel so…so powerless. Isn't that what you said to me?"

Ignoring her sleeping state he continued speaking, for fear that he would never say what he needed to if he didn't do it now, regardless of the fact that she couldn't hear him.

"I watched you, for years I watched and waited. I hoped for so long that you would say my name; Make a wish and I could see you again. Really see you. Not just through my crystals," his voice began to crack ever so slightly with the threat of real tears, "I dreamed and I begged for you. I… I cried for you."

"Damn you! Damn you, Sarah! I cry for no one! No one…but you." His voice was a mere whisper again as a single tear slid down his cheek. He reached up and quickly swiped it away, becoming furious once more. Rising from the bed as quickly as he could he rushed from the room, slamming the ornate double doors as he left. He feared that if he stayed a minute longer he would have done something horrible; something he would regret later. Lucky for him, there was a small group of goblins in need of some serious punishment, and he was in just the right mood to deal it out.

Two long, grueling hours later he was covered in blood and other bodily fluids, a swath of death all around him, the screams fresh memories in his mind and his rage finally sated.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry; everything isn't perfect for Jareth now. There is still plenty more to come down the line and it's far from being all pixie dust and rainbows.

Sarah shifted gently, her head aching for some unknown reason. She felt soft material beneath her body and figured she had fallen asleep by accident. When she finally gained full use of her senses, she heard the crackling of a fire and realized the material underneath her hands was silk, not cotton. Her eyes shot open immediately and then snapped shut again as her head began to throb uncontrollably. So, she hadn't been dreaming after all.

She opened her eyes again, this time slowly to allow for them to adjust. Sitting up, she took in her surroundings. The room was dimly lit by the fire but she could make out the definitions of a very large bed chamber. A chest of drawers was to the right of her and what appeared to be the entrance to a closet was to the left. Directly ahead of her there were two large double doors, which she surmised, were currently blocking her exit; most likely locked if Jareth had anything to do with it.

Huffing, she threw her legs over the edge of the spacious bed and let them dangle, noticing that her feet did not touch the ground as expected. The bed was lifted higher than any bed she had ever been in before. Of course, Jareth was a head taller than her too. A light blush crept up her cheeks at the thought of this bed as his. Not just some guest room in his castle, but his own personal bed chamber. The swift memory of him kissing her in the oubliette resurfaced and she blushed harder. Mentally she chided herself. She wasn't supposed to be feeling flustered right now. She was supposed to be very upset! But upset at what exactly?

He had come when she called, and he had rescued her from that horrible hole in the ground but how did she get back to the labyrinth in the first place? Was it Jareth or was there some other unknown force at work? The more she thought the more questions she came up with and this irritated her to no end. On top of that, she had no clue where Jareth was or even how to begin to look for him.

The simple thought of finding him must have had some magical pull because Jareth, in all his imposing glory, came walking through the double doors completely unaware that Sarah was awake. The look of shock on his face was quickly replaced by a stony, cool glare. He hadn't expected her to be awake so soon. Or had he really been preoccupied for so long? A quick check to the grandfather clock near his wardrobe told him he really had been gone for at least two and a half hours.

The look on his face made his features seem sharper than they normally were, his eyes seemingly shooting icy daggers at her. She hadn't been awake for more than ten minutes at most and he already seemed annoyed by her presence. Sighing, she slipped off the bed and stood facing him, unsure of what to do or say.

"I…uh… thank you." She said, knowing she sounded more than a little frightened of him.

"For?" he asked; his voice cold but somehow still smooth as silk.

"For… rescuing me."

Jareth smirked, and he was instantly standing too close to her for comfort.

"Rescuing you?" he asked, bending down to her ear, "I was merely saving you for myself."

Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine and she couldn't tell if it was from fear or from… something else. It wasn't until he was so close she could have barely moved an inch and she would collide with him that she realized he was covered in blood. She could smell it on him and it was so thick in the air she could almost taste the coppery, sweet liquid. She moved back a little and swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat, afraid she was going to be sick.

Jareth began to laugh. She was so timid; so afraid. She most certainly wasn't anything like he remembered her to be. Of course, the last time they met he wasn't covered in someone else's blood and ready to maim anything that defied him. No, then she had been quite the force to be reckoned with; all cool confidence and optimism. Then, he truly had no power over her. Now… now he wasn't so sure.

He took another step closer to gauge her reaction. She took another small step back toward the wall. Soon she was pressed so firmly against the stone that he thought she might fall right through if she pressed any harder. He blocked her in with his arms, just as he had mere hours earlier and looked straight into her emerald eyes. They held a fear he had never seen in her before and for a fleeting moment, he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. He looked deeper and he saw the fire inside of her. It still burned, but much less than it used to. There was something else as well. Something small and undefined inside her eyes; something that seemed to pull at him from the inside.

Sarah could feel his breath on her face and she cringed inwardly at the emotions that it stirred within her. He was so close she could clearly see his eyes; his beautifully mismatched blue eyes, with one pupil, she noted, much larger than the other. He seemed to be searching for something but she wasn't sure what. She was terrified that he was going to do something to her but she was also intrigued. What could the great and powerful Goblin King possibly be looking for in her?

Seconds felt like hours before he blinked and registered just how close he really was to her. Their bodies were a hairsbreadth away from being pressed together and her lips were so close to his. He tried to feel the anger again but it wouldn't come. He couldn't even manage a slight irritation. All he could feel was the energy radiating off of her in waves. Humans didn't have magic, at least not in the way that the Fae did, but their energy was certainly a force all its own. It could command armies and change the tides if they only learned to harness its power. Her energy was warm and inviting even when her eyes held such terror. The human soul certainly was a strange thing.

Sarah started feeling dizzy and overheated. He was so close she couldn't decide if she wanted him to back away or press against her. Her mind was foggy and her mouth felt a bit dry. She wondered if she were going to pass out again.

"Jareth?" she asked, her voice barely a breathy whisper.

"Sarah." He replied, his voice still ice cold.

"Jareth… please."

"Please what?"

Unsure of what she was asking for she rested her head against the cool stone and closed her eyes, hoping her vertigo would pass. She didn't answer him for a few minutes and he began to grow agitated. Obviously she wanted something, but what he wasn't sure.

"Again, I ask you, please what?" This time his voice held a commanding tone and she opened her eyes at once.

She fidgeted lightly for a moment before meeting his intense gaze. She was having a really hard time focusing; he was so damn close! The smell of blood, death, rot, and something else accosted her and she tried to focus on what it was she could smell beyond the obvious. It was spicy and sweet at the same time; cinnamon and cherries. It was the smell of him. It was still there underneath all that blood and decay. Her stomach churned, and not in a bad way.

"Kiss me…" she breathed out, surprising herself by her boldness.

Jareth almost reeled back at her response. Kiss her? Out of everything she could have asked for, she wanted him to kiss her? Did she not notice how angry he was with her or how he was covered in drying blood? What in the Undergound could make her want such a thing?

"Jareth, please…"

Very well, he thought. If she insisted who was he to deny her? Swiftly, he crushed his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss. He poured all of his past anger, hate and sorrow into the kiss. He bit her lips until they bled and ravaged her mouth with his tongue, tasting peaches and sweet copper. He smelled lilacs; he smelled her. He was ferocious in his need; his want. He pulled mewls and moans from her mouth and drank them down like he was a parched man and she, a fine wine.

He pressed himself against her and ground her back into the wall, losing himself to the energy and the passion. The magic?

He felt a twinge of it in the back of his mind and he finally broke away, panting heavily, lips swollen and eyes full of fire. Sarah felt empty as he pulled back. She went to follow him but he pressed her back against the wall, stopping her from moving. He held her shoulders in a vice grip, his pelvic bone pressing too hard into hers.

"Jareth…"

"No!" he hissed, cutting her off from her plea.

All this time it was magic that pulled her to him? Not just any magic either; His own magic! His own magic was pulling him to her like a moth to a flame. That was why he wasn't able to stay angry at her when he was in her presence.

"How did you get it?" he asked, his voice full of menace and rage.

"I don't understand…get what?" she began trembling again, this time from fear. He was so angry looking.

"How did you get my magic? How?" he asked, shaking her violently.

Her head smacked against the stone wall and she saw stars. She felt something warm trickle down the back of her head and she was sure he had split her skull. It felt as if he had.

"I…I don't… know." She slurred, her vision going blurry. It was getting harder to keep her eyes open and she knew she would pass out soon from the pain, if anything. Her head throbbed again, this time not letting up even a bit.

Jareth noticed the panic in her eyes but he chose to ignore it. He wanted to know exactly how she had stolen some of his magic from him and when. He saw her body start to slump and he held her up and looked at her eyes. They were hazy and she was starting to black out.

"Sarah… look at me!" he commanded, but to no avail.

Her eyes shut and she fell limp in his arms once more. He saw a blood spot on the wall and immediately knew he had shaken her too violently. Cringing, he felt the back of her head and brought his gloved hand away, covered in fresh blood. Feeling angrier with himself now, than with Sarah, he healed her wound and carried her back to his bed, laying her down.

There were many things he wished he could do in that bed with her, if she would only stop passing out on him long enough. Granted, both times it was his fault. He felt the anger rise up in him again and he had the strong urge to break something. Materializing a crystal he threw it against the wall and it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. He felt minutely better. Why was it when he wanted to hurt her he couldn't and when he didn't mean to he did? He needed to think on this some more and he needed to get away from Sarah to do it. She clouded his mind too much. So, for the second time that evening he left Sarah alone in his chambers to rest while he went off to clear his mind.

* * *

 

Jareth sat on his throne, one leg thrown over the left arm rest. He was tapping his riding crop against his knee lightly, his head resting in his free hand, tapping a riding crop lightly on his leg with the other. He was covered in a fresh mass of blood and other, thicker, fluids. Having had a fresh bout of anger and desire to rend the flesh from something, he ended up clearing out his dungeon completely. The poor creatures never stood a chance. Once his frustrations were finally expelled he had made his way to his throne room and sat down to think over his new situation with Sarah.

Somehow the girl had managed to acquire a part of his magic. When, how and why were the questions that had continuously plagued his mind since he had stalked out of his bedchambers that evening. Her arrival in the first place had been baffling enough and now he had to figure out exactly why she had a piece of his magic on top of that. Surely it was the reason he was pulled to her; the very reason that he couldn't stay angry with her while he was close to her or why he couldn't punish her the way he had daydreamed.

The fear she held in her eyes had made him second guess himself yet again. He couldn't help but feel a bit bad about it. He had hoped to see the strong willed, fiery challenger in her eyes that he once knew but the flame was small now. Almost a shadow against the fear and submission he saw within her that evening. He felt a small tug in his chest but promptly squelched it. He was not going soft, not after trying so hard to rid himself of those feelings. Was he?

He smacked his ridding crop hard against his knee and sat upright, rubbing his temple furiously. After so many years of pain and regret he feared to sink back into it. He had wished so hard to find a way to avoid feeling the hurt that her rejection had caused and he was terrified of letting her in once more only to be tossed aside again. He didn't think his soul could handle that a second time. It wasn't something he would openly admit, being afraid. The Goblin King was never afraid. Not publicly anyway. But he was afraid; bone chillingly afraid.

Old memories came, unbidden, of Sarah's trek through the labyrinth. She was so young; so determined to win back her baby brother from the evil Goblin King who had stolen him away. The whole time she had thought of him as the villain. He was the adversary that needed to be bested to right the world again. She had made quite a few friends on the way to his castle and they had all valiantly supported her in her goal. Well, almost all of them were valiant. Hogsbreath, or was it Higgle? He had been quite the coward, but had supported her in the end after the peach incident.

He could remember the way she looked in the white ball gown. Her hair was decorated and curled beautifully. She was quite the sight to behold. He danced with her, holding her close, relishing in her beauty and her attention. He had wanted to kiss her but before he could she had noticed the grandfather clock and pushed herself from his embrace. He had felt a terrible ache as she ran away from him and pinpricks of tears in his eyes when she shattered the bubble that held them together in a dream of her choosing.

It was her dream that had made the rejection so hard. She had wanted to dance with him. She had wanted to hold onto him. She sought him out specifically in her dream. That was why he was there, of course, because she wished him to be. He was devastated completely that night when she declared that he had no power over her. He remembered watching her celebrate her victory over him. How he had wept himself to sleep that night once all the servants were sent away. He had been so empty after that.

His breathing hitched slightly as he remembered the passion filled kiss they had shared in his chambers only hours ago. She had wanted to kiss him then, even with him covered in blood and other things. He could feel the tingle of her lips on his own and he gently reached up and touched them. It had been that passion that had alerted him to his own magic within her. That was the passion he had been searching for in her eyes. That was most certainly not a kiss created by magic. It was of pure want and need.

A small smile graced his lips and he leaned back in his throne, resting his head against the cool stone. For a short moment he had felt good again. All his anger had been washed away by the feel of her beneath him, her small moans a delicious treat to his ears. Then that tug of magic had completely ruined it and threw him into yet another foul mood. He frowned and closed his eyes. The only way she could have obtained any of his magic was if it had transferred to her upon his defeat. That had to be why she was able to come back. A tiny bit of his magic had latched onto her and waited for the opportune moment to return her to the labyrinth. But why?

He had heard tales of the Fae having soul mates, but it was almost a thing of legend. When it did happen, it was very, very rare and usually only occurred between two Fae. Never between a Fae and a human. It was impossible. Wasn't it? His mind churned over this for a few minutes before he opened his eyes and sighed. What if his magic had latched onto her because it recognized her as his soul mate? It was absurd to be sure. After all, why would he, the Goblin King and traveler of realms, be tied to a mere human? Albeit a beautiful human. It just didn't make sense.

Shaking his head he decided it was best to consult the archives on matters such as these. He would make the trip after he decided what to do with Sarah. She couldn't be left alone to wander his castle without supervision. She would either get lost, end up severely hurt or even dead from the traps that lay throughout. On that note he wondered how she was fairing. A knock to the head like he had given her was sure to leave her with a severe migraine. Standing, he decided it was best to check on her and see if she was okay. Besides, he needed a bath and he was quite tired. A bit of rest would do him some good for the conversation that was about to come. With a renewed sense of purpose he strode toward his chambers to face Sarah and get a good, hot bath. Hopefully, he thought, the bath would come first.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bubble bath!

Sarah woke to a throbbing head and bleary vision. She remembered being shaken like a rag doll and then feeling a sharp pain on the back of her head. After that she blacked out. Jareth had been so angry with her and she wasn't even sure why. She slowly sat up so as not to aggravate her headache anymore than she already had and she looked around the room. It was brighter than before and she noticed a door that was not there earlier. It was cracked open and she heard light humming coming from inside.

Sliding gently to the floor, trying to make as little noise as possible, she tiptoed over to the door and carefully peeked inside. It was a lavish bathing room with limestone walls and gold and silver trim. There was a large mirror on the left wall and in the middle of the room there was a large bath tub that was currently in use by Jareth. His eyes were closed and his head was resting against the back of the tub. She could see the top half of his chest peeking out from the mass amounts of bubbles in the water. Who knew the Goblin King was one for bubble baths?

He was humming a very familiar tune, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it from. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and raised his head, looking toward the door. She stood frozen, unsure of what to do or say. She probably wasn't supposed to be spying on him, let alone spying on him in the bath. Jareth stared at her for a few minutes, almost as if he were contemplating what to say or waiting for her to make the first move.

"I'm sorry. I heard humming…" Sarah apologized, trying to explain what she was doing at the bathroom door.

"And here I was hoping to finish the rest of my bath in peace." Jareth said, a slight hint of mischief in his voice.

Sarah wasn't sure what to do so she remained standing at the door. His moods were confusing to her. Was he angry with her or not? She really wasn't sure what to say or do for fear of upsetting him again.

Sighing, Jareth said, "Well, you can either stand there or go back into the bed chamber if you do not wish to see me unclothed."

"Oh!" Sarah gasped and quickly backed away into the bed chamber clasping her hands behind her back.

She was most certainly not ready to see him in all his glory. She was much more modest than most girls her age were. At least, more so than some of the girls she shared classes with. She was sure they would jump all over the opportunity to view Jareth nude if the chance arose. Grinning, she shook her head. They were sweet girls, but they were far from conservative in their ways. Sarah got lost in her thoughts and before she knew what was going on Jareth was standing in front of her, fully clothed, and snapping his fingers in her face.

"Sarah…" he said, slightly irritated.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about some of the girls from my class." She mumbled, focusing on the man standing before her.

"And just what do they have to do with your current situation?" He asked, more intrigued than he wanted to let on.

"Nothing, really. They just don't believe in matters of privacy. That's all."

"I see."

Jareth placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head slightly to the side. He was immensely relieved that he wasn't feeling any anger at this particular moment. The nice hot bath he just had probably had a lot to do with it.

"Sarah" he started very abruptly, "Just what are you doing back in my realm?"

Sarah looked up at him, her eyes wide. So he didn't know either? That wasn't good.

"I'm not exactly sure. One minute I was sitting in the middle of the floor looking at one of my old story books and the next I was sitting inside the labyrinth. I thought you might know more than me." She explained.

"And just what book would that be, Precious?" His curiosity always got the better of him.

"The…" She stopped short, unsure of whether or not she should tell him it was a book about him and his realm.

"The? Surely there is more to the title of the book." He drawled, a sinister looking smirk playing on his lips.

"Of course there is! It was The Labyrinth." She huffed defiantly before she knew what she was saying.

Quickly, she clamped her mouth shut, now fully aware of her error in tone. Jareth chuckled lightly and shook his head, his mane of hair swaying lightly from the movement. His eyes glittered with amusement. Baffled, she took a small step back away from the King and placed her hands on her hips, almost mimicking his stance.

"I don't see what's so funny. I really don't know how or why I'm here." She said, keeping her tone calm and even.

"I have an idea but I have to do further research to see if I'm correct. In fact, that is what I wish to speak to you about. You are not to leave this chamber unattended for the duration of your stay. You will have an escort at all times and I will have your meals brought to you. You will have full use of the facilities, of course. I can have books brought to you from the library to keep you occupied should you need them."

He said this with an air of authority that clearly stated he was not to be disobeyed. Sarah felt her pride bristle at this. She was not used to being talked down to as if she were a child anymore. She was a full grown woman capable of making her own decisions. Of course, she reminded herself, that she didn't exactly know her way around his castle and that it could be dangerous to go wandering about without a guide. She soothed her ego slightly and produced a semi-smile.

"Of course, your majesty. Do you have any other orders I'm to follow?" This came out with a bit more disdain than she had hoped as she saw his eyes darken just a bit.

Damn it, she thought, when would she learn to use her words wisely? She was twenty for goodness sake! Not her naive fifteen year old self anymore!

"I apologize. That was very rude of me. You have graciously offered me your chambers, facilities, food and entertainment and I'm being a brat." She said, relaxing her arms at her sides, slouching just a bit for comfort.

Jareth was surprised at her sudden change of attitude. He was expecting an all out argument and instead she was offering her apologies for her behavior. Perhaps she was more grown up than he originally thought.

"Apology accepted, Precious. Know this; I will not tolerate that behavior again." He said in the most regal tone he could muster. He had hoped for a good sparing match but it didn't look as if it were forthcoming.

Her ego nagged at her again but she kept her mouth shut. Now was not the time to get into an argument with someone who could snap his fingers and silence her for good. She would just have to play nice, for now. Another thought crossed her mind and she suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Uh, so if I'm staying in your chambers just where, exactly, am I going to sleep?" The thought of sharing a bed with him made her a bit uneasy. She didn't trust him as far as she could throw him at this point.

"My bed. Where else would you be sleeping? Certainly not the floor, Precious." Jareth replied, disgust apparent in his voice when he mentioned the floor.

"But then, where will you be sleeping?" she asked shyly unsure if she wanted to hear that answer.

"Ah, you are quite the bashful one aren't you?" He smirked, laughing quietly to himself. "Don't worry, Precious, I don't bite. Much."

Sarah looked down at her feet and allowed her hair to cover her features. She was blushing as red as a lobster, she was sure of it. She was not prepared to share a bed with the Goblin King. Even just for sleeping! It wasn't proper for one, and she was most definitely not comfortable being in such close proximity to a very male figure. A very male figure that, she admitted to herself, was very, very attractive.

"I will have a night dress set out for you and come back in twenty minutes time. That should give you ample time to change and situate yourself for sleep. Really, Sarah, I will not be a threat to your virtue. At least not yet. I'm just as tired as you are. It has been a very trying day."

Sarah breathed a small sigh of relief and nodded briefly.

"Thank you."

Jareth grinned and snapped his fingers. A white night gown appeared on the bed and he walked out the door leaving her to her privacy. Twenty minutes came and went and Jareth returned to see Sarah in bed with the duvet pulled completely up to her neck. He shook his head and chuckled. She was definitely a shy one.

He changed into his own night clothes, for Sarah's sake, and climbed into the bed next to her. He snapped his fingers and the fire dimmed. Soon after he had drifted off to sleep, oblivious that Sarah lay there wide awake with her thoughts.

* * *

 

Sarah stared into the darkness of the room, her mind racing a mile a minute. Deciding it was safe she relaxed into the bed and sighed. Jareth had no idea what she was doing here and neither did she. It was no surprise that she had no clue, but for Jareth to be just as clueless as her could not be a good thing. At first she had been sure he was the reason she had come back but with his rather abrupt question she quickly changed her mind.

All at once she felt the strain of the day descend upon her and she felt drained. Her head still ached slightly and her leg muscles were sure to be sore in the morning; a great reminder that she needed to exercise more, despite all that walking around campus. She felt the pull of sleep and closed her eyes. Soon after she drifted off to one of the best night's sleep she’d had in a long time.

* * *

Jareth felt something tickling his face. He wiggled his nose lightly to try to brush away whatever it was that was currently annoying him. It didn't work the way he had hoped and he was accosted with more of the tickling substance. Cracking his eyes open he spotted the annoyance. Sarah's hair was fanned out on the pillow and he had his face almost buried in it. He also took note of the fact that he was currently wrapped around her in a very delightful way. He wondered what his dear Sarah would do if she were to wake up in their current position. A small smile played on his lips at the thought of her floundering about to remove herself from his person.

Gently, so as not to wake her, he removed himself from her and groaned inwardly at the loss of warmth. With a flick of his wrist the fire started itself and began to warm the room; chasing away the damp morning chill. With another flick of his wrist his night clothes were gone. Instead he was donning a pair of black satin breeches, a loose white shirt, a brown vest, knee high black leather boots and black gloves. Simple traveling garb seemed to be the appropriate attire to rummage through the archives. He didn't want to soil his best clothes after all.

After leaving explicit instructions with his Adviser he began his trip to the Underground archives. He needed to find out exactly why Sarah was here and what she was doing with a piece of his magic. It worried him greatly that he had not noticed a bit of it missing before. If he had let something of such importance go unnoticed, what else had he failed to keep track of? This question nagged him relentlessly as he traveled to the outskirts of his land to the only Mage's Tower left in existence in the labyrinth. It was there that he kept all the archives secured with even more defenses than his own castle. It was there that he was hoping to find his answers.

* * *

Sarah stretched and opened her eyes slowly. She noticed immediately that she was alone. Letting her arms fall to her sides, she huffed lightly in irritation. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now. She had no clue when Jareth would be back and she didn't know how to summon someone if she needed anything.

She threw the covers off and gently got out of the bed, her legs doing their best to defy her motions. Sometimes, Sarah really hated being right. She found her clothes and then looked toward the door to the bathing room. A nice bath wouldn't hurt. It didn't take her long to run the water and strip down. In a matter of minutes she was up to her chin in steaming water. Her muscles were sore and the warmth helped soothe the pain.

She sighed and closed her eyes letting her body relax and enjoy the heat. She let her mind wander away from her and it wasn't long before her stomach began to protest with loud grumbles. It had been quite a while since she had eaten last. With everything that had happened she wasn't surprised that she hadn't thought of food sooner. Pulling the plug from the drain she stood up and got out of the bath tub.

On the wall behind the tub there was a towel hanging from a golden hook. She took the towel and dried off. She dropped the towel to the floor and about jumped out of her skin when it disappeared with a popping sound and a new one took its place on the wall behind her. It was going to take time for her to get used to the magic again. She quickly dressed and walked back into the bedroom. She smiled when she found a silver tray on the bed with different fruits, bread, and jam on it. She wouldn't go hungry after all.

* * *

Jareth had spent hours looking though all the old documents he came across regarding Fae lore, legends and love. Not one told of a Fae and human becoming soul mates. There were small mentions of the possibility existing, but no actual occurrences. There had been a document tracking a very rare link between two Fae, though. Lunch came and went and still Jareth had no answers to his questions.

Standing, he huffed and slammed the cover of the book he had been reading in irritation. His irritation began to grow to anger as he realized he had gone through all the books in the archives detailing love and other such attachments through magic. What good were the bloody archives if he couldn't even find such a small bit of information!? Growling, he swiped the books and papers off the desk he had been sitting at, and slammed his fists onto the top. It cracked under the abuse.

Storming out of the study he searched for something, anything, living that he could maim. His anger had turned to a full blown rage and he had the strong urge to rend the flesh from some poor creature. Finding no one in the archives he turned into his owl form and began to fly back toward his castle. Surely there was someone there in need of some punishment that he could pacify his rage with.

* * *

Sarah sat on the edge of the bed finishing off her late lunch. A tiny, shy goblin had brought her the food and a small stack of books to pass the time. When she had asked his name he mumbled something unintelligible and hobbled out of the room quickly. Sarah thought it was a bit odd but didn't bother going after the little goblin. For all she knew, the hallways changed direction by themselves and she had clearly remembered Jareth's words regarding wandering the castle alone.

Done with her meal, she reached for the stack of books and began to read the titles of each one. There were one or two books on the history of the labyrinth and a couple on the various creatures that inhabited the land. One special one caught her eye, however. It was a plain black book with gold lettering. It was simply titled Love. She lay back on the bed and cracked the cover. There was no author or indication of a publication date. Shrugging, she turned to the first page and began to read.

* * *

Jareth flew into his castle and transformed, still fueled by his rage. He practically ran into his throne room, looking for an unlucky soul to release his anger upon. He found what he was looking for; a small goblin who was sweeping off the throne. He flicked his wrist at the goblin and it caught fire, emitting a high pitched half scream, half gurgle, as it burned alive. Once the screaming had stopped Jareth waved his hand and the flames disappeared. The charred body of the goblin was hardly recognizable at the base of the throne.

Kicking the remains aside, Jareth sat on his throne, still fuming. Somewhere along the flight home he had convinced himself that Sarah had purposely stolen a piece of his magic. It was the only explanation he could fathom at the moment. Pondering on it some more he rose from his throne and made his way to his bed chambers. He was going to get his answers, one way or the other.

* * *

Sarah was engrossed by the plain black book. It was a tale of two lovers; one Fae and one human. The Fae had fallen in love with the human, but had been forbidden by her father to see him. Because of this the young Fae woman had to sneak out to be with her human lover. It was an epic tale of loss and the fight for love.

She was at a particularly good part when the doors to the bedchamber burst open and Jareth came into the room looking very put out. Sarah jumped slightly and set the book down on the bed. Somewhat worried, she stood from the bed and waited for Jareth to speak.

"Sarah, I will only ask this once. How did you acquire my magic? Do not dare lie to me, Precious, I am in no mood for lies."

His voice was dripping with malice; his eyes aflame with anger. She took a step back in shock and tried her best to register what he had just asked. His magic? Since when did she have his magic? Could that be what he was so angry about the night before?

"Magic? Jareth, I don't have the slightest idea what you’re talking about. I don't have any magic." She said, shaking her head.

In the blink of an eye Jareth was in front of her, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"You have my magic. I want to know how!"

"Ow! I don't know!"

"Liar!"

Jareth shoved her back against the wall, his fingers digging sharply into her shoulders and the top of her arms.

"I swear! I don't know! Let go! You're hurting me!" Sarah said, fear very evident in her voice. She tried to wiggle free of his grasp but he was holding on too tightly.

He felt the tug on his magic and loosened his grip on her shoulders. Almost immediately the anger toward Sarah that had built itself up inside of him disappeared. Now, he only felt guilt for hurting her. He saw the panic in her eyes and he felt an all too familiar tightening in his chest. He tried to bring back his anger but it was completely gone. It was as if his magic was protecting her from him.

"Sarah…I…"

"Let go!" Sarah jerked away from him and ran to other side of bed, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort.

Jareth stood there, unsure of what to do. It had been a long time since he had felt any type of regret or guilt for hurting anyone. The fact that it was Sarah only made it harder on him. He had never really meant to hurt her. He had dreamed of his revenge and what it would be like to break her, but in the end he had never truly meant any of it. Not to mention that his magic was keeping him from doing anything to her.

With the broken contact the irritation began to seep back into him. This time though, the irritation was at himself. He should have known better than to just assume that Sarah knew what was going on. She probably couldn't even feel the magic inside of her! After all, she was only human! They weren't as in tune with themselves as the Fae were.

"I apologize, Sarah. I had assumed that you would know and I was wrong." He said stiffly.

Sarah subconsciously rubbed her shoulders, completely confused by his change in moods. Something was wrong with the Goblin King but she couldn't figure out what. It was as if he had two completely different personalities. Nervously, she bounced lightly from foot to foot, not sure of what to say or do; afraid she would set him off again.

Jareth noticed her unease and he felt the need to resolve the mess he had just caused.

"I should probably explain. Somehow, you have obtained a bit of my magic. How and why I do not know. I had come to the incorrect conclusion that you had stolen it from me. I can see, now, that you have not. I apologize for my rash behavior."

Sarah nodded lightly and said "Apology accepted."

It was a halfhearted acceptance at best, Jareth could tell. She was leery of him and she had good reason to be. Twice now he had caused her harm. Nothing irreparable, but had his magic not been within her he wasn't sure what he would have done.

"I believe that when you were here last, a piece of my magic latched onto you when you left. I have never heard of this happening before so I decided to do some research on the matter. Unfortunately, I have come up with nothing. I became upset by this and it only grew worse the more I thought about it. Thus, the resulting encounter."

Seeing that Sarah was still unsure of him he added, "The closer I am in proximity to you the less anger I feel. It helps dissolve the rage. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the magic you now possess. Even though you didn't know it was there or how to harness it, it protects you."

Taking the new information on faith, she cautiously moved from the far side of the bed toward him. Keeping her arms wrapped around herself, she stopped about a foot away from him, just out of arms reach.

"So what exactly does this mean?" Sarah asked timidly.

"I do not know, Precious. That is what I intend to find out."


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luuucy! You have some ‘splainin’ to do!

Sarah lingered by the bedchamber door, unsure of when Jareth would be back. He had left five minutes earlier to attend to the basic needs of his kingdom, which from what she understood, were all he tended to anymore. The Labyrinth was practically in shambles! She had not let him come any closer to her since their last confrontation and Jareth had obviously realized she needed some space to think.

Everything was simply too strange. She had no idea why or how she had acquired some of Jareth's magic but she was glad she had it now. It was the source of her protection from his rage. She realized shortly after he explained its protective nature that had she been without his magic he very well may have killed her. It was a frightening concept. She was only twenty! She didn't want to die at such a young age. It was strange to see the Goblin King act in such a violent way.

When she had first come to the labyrinth, while he was the villain, he certainly wasn't violent toward her. He would play mind tricks and other pranks to catch her off guard and make her forget what she was doing, but he never once physically harmed her or acted in such a violent manner. Had she been asked five years ago if the Goblin King would try to kill her she would have answered no.

Now, she wasn't so sure. He seemed to flip moods like a light switch. One minute he was his normal self and the next he was seething and ready to rip her head off. Yes, something was definitely wrong with Jareth and she felt like it was connected to her somehow. Silently, she vowed to try and find out what was causing his drastic mood swings.

* * *

Jareth signed off on the last order for supplies and sighed heavily. He was tired. Tired of all the strain and tired of simply being tired. This matter with Sarah only added to his responsibilities and it was weighing heavily on his mind and heart. He had never expected to see her again. His fantasies of torture and torment were simply that, fantasies. Oh, he had hoped that she would have called his name and returned, but it was a long time ago and the circumstances had been much more sorrowful.

Rubbing his temples he closed his eyes and rested his elbows on his desk, his head supported by his fingers. He felt a headache coming and he really wished he knew how to stave it off. They never ended well; usually with many of his goblins in pieces all over his throne room. He could feel the agitation start to seep into his mind and he opened his eyes, almost in panic. It had been far too long since he had last felt peace, and that had only occurred while he was in her presence. Suddenly, he knew exactly where he needed to be and only hoped he could get back to the bedchamber in time to dissipate his growing irritation.

* * *

It had been a little over an hour, by Sarah's estimation, and she found herself back on the bed, the book she had been reading before Jareth stormed into the room back in her hands. It really was a good story. She was half way through the book now, and the Fae woman was sneaking off nightly to visit her human lover. What the woman didn't know was that her father had hired a spy to trail her and report back to him of her whereabouts. It hadn't taken long for her father to find the two lovers and try to slay the human. Thankfully, he escaped, but the father locked his daughter away in his palace, never letting her roam free again.

She was so engrossed in her book that Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin when Jareth came rushing through the door and jumped onto the bed next to her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her tightly against him.

"Jareth! What the hell?" she screeched.

Jareth moved one of his arms to gently wrap around her front and he nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing deeply. Sarah sat, frozen. She wasn't sure what was going on and she was afraid to move.

"Forgive me, but I was beginning to lose myself." He said quietly, keeping a soft, but strong hold on her.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Sarah all but stuttered.

"I began to feel agitated and it was slowly growing worse. It started with a headache. I had an idea and I wanted to see if my theory was correct."

"And that would be?" She asked, trying to turn to look at him.

He held her still and sighed, rubbing her hip and her arm with his thumbs. He could feel the anger leaving his mind and for the first time in such a long while he felt calm; peaceful.

"Well?" She asked him again when he didn't answer her the first time.

"If I remain close to you I feel better. If I'm touching you it all but leaves, but when I hold you it's completely gone."

"It?"

"The anger," he replied softly, still not releasing his grip.

"Well you can't stay attached to my hip all the time. So, what do you propose we do?" she asked, finally relenting and relaxing into his arms.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps, when I feel that my irritation is getting too strong I can simply hold onto you?" He asked, his voice a gentle purr, the vibration running down her spine.

"You make it sound like it's that easy." She said, shivering lightly. He really needed to remove his face from her neck.

"It is, Precious. I have proved it."

Again, his voice seemed to vibrate through her. She shivered again and began to pull herself away from him. Instead of letting go, however, he simply held her tighter. Giving up, she relaxed against him again. There really was no use in fighting him. He was much stronger and she couldn't get away unless he let go, which he didn't seem to want to do at the moment.

Nothing more transpired between them, but Jareth held her for what seemed like eternity. Albeit, a very comfortable, and somewhat pleasurable, eternity.

* * *

 

Five more days passed with Sarah no closer to figuring out why she was suddenly transported back to the labyrinth. Jareth spent almost all of his free time searching various archives and tombs but there were only vague allusions to soul mates in myths and legends. He was no closer to an answer than Sarah was. By now, Sarah had finished her fairy tale of the Fae woman and her mortal lover. It was a happy ending, with the woman and the man married and living their lives together at last. However, she was now bored out of her mind.

She found herself pacing the room for the hundredth time that day when Jareth came back from yet another unsuccessful search. His trips were beginning to be slightly shorter than normal and he had been spending a bit more time in her presence than he first did. Sarah contributed it to his "flare ups" as she now called them for lack of a better term.

"No luck?" Sarah asked, already knowing his answer by the agitated look on his face.

"No…" he replied, seeming more distant than usual.

Sarah walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder causing him to turn his attention from the wall, which he looked like he wanted to smash to pieces, to her. His brow softened and he seemed to relax into her touch.

"Sarah… would you like to join me for a walk outside these walls?" he asked, catching her off guard.

"Of course!" She almost shouted, a little too eager to do anything else but stay in that room any longer. "I mean, yes, I would like that."

Jareth chuckled and placed his hand over hers. It had only just crossed his mind that she might be getting a touch of cabin fever. She had been cooped up for a week, with nothing much for entertainment except the few books he had brought up for her. She was probably itching to get out from behind the bedchamber walls. In an instant they were outside the castle and in a spacious garden. The plant life was sparse and the sky was cloudy but Sarah was just glad to get outside. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, enjoying the fresh air and the gentle breeze that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Things were definitely strange in the labyrinth.

"I'm sorry it isn't up to par, but there is nothing for it I suppose." Jareth said, lowering his hand from hers.

"No, it's fine. Really." Sarah said, trying to sound reassuring. She dropped her hand to her side and took a good look around.

The trees that used to bear fruit and flowers were all black and twisted – the branches completely barren. The grass was dead and brown and the weeds were all that flourished in the cloudy light. It was a very despairing atmosphere. She could only imagine what this little garden had once looked like when it was luscious and buzzing with life.

"There's no need to, what is it you humans like to say? Ah yes, sugar coat it. My lands have seen much better days." He said, stepping up to her and lacing his fingers between hers.

Sarah almost jumped and the Goblin King grinned from ear to ear.

"Dear Sarah, so jumpy." He all but laughed.

"Well, you can't really blame me can you?" she asked, looking up at him, one eyebrow raised to emphasize her question.

"No," he said glumly, his grin fading away, "I can't."

He began to remove his fingers from hers when she tightened her grip and stepped closer to him. He looked at her, curiosity painted on his features.

"You said yourself you feel better when we are touching. I do not intend to have you go off on a rampage while I'm outside of the castle walls." She explained quickly, to cover up her actions.

The truth was she was growing fond of having him close to her. Granted, constant contact wasn't something she was aiming for, but she liked the idea of holding his hand while they walked through the garden. It gave her a sense of normalcy that she wasn't ready to let go of just yet. A sense that he wouldn't fly off the handle and try to harm her or anything that got in his way. She could still smell the burning skin of the goblin that had brought her dinner later than expected the third night of her stay. She had locked herself in the bathing chamber after that and didn't come out until morning, and only after Jareth practically begged for her forgiveness and promised through clenched teeth- because he was very upset at the time- not to incinerate any more goblins in her presence.

They walked quietly for a time before Sarah worked up the courage to finally ask him what had been plaguing her mind as of late.

"Jareth… what happened to the Kingdom? I mean, why is it so…"

"Dead?" he finished for her.

Sarah nodded in response. Dead was a good a word as any for the way it looked. The walls were in shambles and everything was dark and decaying.

"It's… complicated." He said, as if that were the only answer there was to give.

"How complicated?" she asked, trying to pry the information out of him.

"Very."

The finality of that statement made Sarah close her mouth on the next question that was bubbling to the surface. He had made it very clear, without actually saying so, that the discussion on that subject was over.

After what seemed like ages Jareth sighed and stopped walking, looking down at Sarah.

"I'm sorry. It's just… a long and depressing story. Not meant for this time or place. I'm not even sure I'm ready to tell you just yet." He said, his voice softer than usual.

She looked up into his eyes and they were clouded over, hiding whatever emotion might have been lurking in their depths. Whatever it was, it was something he was very uncomfortable talking about with her.

"I understand. Or at least, I would like to think I do." She answered, trying her best to show some moral support, even though she was dying to know the story behind the destruction. Her curiosity would get her killed one day, she was sure of it; best to let sleeping dragons lie and all that nonsense. Not for Sarah though. She had to be the one to poke it with a stick just to see what would happen.

"You will tell me though, right?"

Jareth gave her a tight lipped smile and squeezed her hand gently. He could tell she had so many questions. They practically danced over her head in bright lights. She was never very good at hiding her thoughts or emotions. She wasn't when she was a child and she wasn't now. That was one trait that hadn't changed.

"In time, perhaps, but for now let's just enjoy the moment." He said as he began walking, tugging her softly to get her to follow him, and so she did, in complete companionable silence for the rest of the walk.

Once they were back in the bedchamber Jareth informed her that he had some business to attend to and that he would be back by dinner. With that, Sarah was left, alone in the room. Sighing, she decided now was as good a time as any to take relaxing bath. Once she was immersed in the soothingly warm water she closed her eyes and let herself fully relax. So much so that she slipped into sleep without ever realizing it.

* * *

 

 _Everything was silent around her. The world was dark; so dark she couldn't see her hands in front of her face. She didn't dare take a step forward. She had no idea where she was and it frightened her. Something brushed past her legs and she jumped in spite of herself._ _Instinctively,_ _she began to look around; trying to spot whatever it was that touched her even though she couldn't see anything._

_Someone, or something, ran its fingers through her hair and she spun around as quick as she could, nearly tripping over her own feet. Her hastened breathing was the only sound she could hear. She reached out with her hands but didn't feel anything in front of her. She closed her eyes, not that it mattered, and took a deep breath trying to steady her breathing. She felt a cool breeze on her face and she immediately opened her eyes._

_She was standing in one of the sections of the_ _labyrinth. It looked just like the rest of the expansive maze; crumbling and dead. The sky was clouded over and the air was growing colder by the minute. She started moving in what she thought was the direction toward the castle. After walking for what seemed like hours and getting nowhere she slumped against what was left of a stone wall. A few minutes later she heard humming. The tune was very familiar to her. She stood from the wall and began to follow the gentle sound._

_Rounding the next corner she came to she spotted Jareth lounging on a stone bench, dressed in the same clothes he wore when she first laid eyes on him. He spotted her and stood up, placing his hands on his hips. Sarah stared, wide eyed, as he stalked toward her the way a predator stalked its prey; slow and calculated._

" _Sarah…lovely to see you again." He said, a feral grin spreading across his features._

_Sarah gulped, trying to step away from him as he closed in. Her body wouldn't move._

" _J…Jareth." She stuttered, very aware of how close he currently was._

_Jareth laughed, a cruel sound, full of ill intent._

" _You poor girl. Lost in my_ _labyrinth again are you?"_

" _No… not really." She lied, wanting to turn and run in the opposite direction._

" _Ha!" he spat harshly. "You're not a very good liar, love."_

_He reached up and brushed a lock of her hair away from her face and leaned down close enough that their noses almost touched. Roughly, he tangled his hand in her hair and held tightly, tilting her head sideways._

_Sarah gasped and tried desperately to get away. The more she pulled the tighter he held, causing a searing pain in her scalp. She stopped struggling rather suddenly when he leaned in and claimed her lips with his, a fierce and bruising kiss. It only lasted a few seconds and then he was back to staring her directly in the eyes._

" _I can see why he mourned over you for so long; such a beautiful girl with such an innocent spirit."_

" _He… but… you're…" she muttered, not quite grasping what he was talking about._

 _The man she assumed to be Jareth laughed again, a darkness dancing in his eyes. Not just a metaphorical darkness either. True darkness, as black as night, swirled around in his eyes, distorting the beautiful_ _blue color_ _; tainting them. It was hypnotizing and terrifying at the same time._

" _Sweet, innocent, little Sarah. He hasn't told you yet. I'm not surprised. It's too bad; I was so looking forward to all the fun things we had planned for you. Just what is it about you that made him go so soft?"_

_With one more crushing kiss he released her hair, stepped away from her and faded in to nothing. The world descended in to darkness once more and she was blind._

* * *

Sarah woke with a start, sitting straight up. The water was still warm, so she hadn't been out long, but she was still shivering. Standing, she got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. Once she was dry she dressed and went to the bed, crawling under the covers to try and calm her nerves. The smell of Jareth helped soothe her. He still wasn't back and she wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not. After the dream she had, she wasn't sure about anything anymore, not that she was one hundred percent sure of anything to begin with.

One thing was certain though. Once Jareth returned he had some serious explaining to do and she had plenty of questions to ask him. She brought her fingers to her lips and closed her eyes. They were sore to the touch.


End file.
